Nephthys (Dark War Universe)
Nephthys is a female Toa of Shadow in the Dark War Universe. History Early History Nephthys began her life on Spherus Magna and helped in the construction of the Matoran Universe. Once it was completed, she was placed on a small island north of Odina, where she aided in maintaining Mata Nui's health. Shortly after Mata Nui left Spherus Magna, Nephthys gained true sentience due to Velika's meddling with the Matoran species. Several thousand years later Nephthys travelled to the Ga-Metru schools where she learnt much about the universe and trained to become a healer, before returning to her homeland three years later. The Dark War After seven years of unrest, the Dark War began as the Dark Hunters made an attack on refugees hoping to find refuge in Metru Nui. Many Matoran from Nephthys' island had left hoping they could find a place of safety within the City of Legends, but Nephthys had stayed behind to care for those who needed her help. When Dark Hunters began invading the island, Nephthys helped the wounded in the Matoran's attempt to drive them back. But with no Toa on the island, the Matoran had no hope of winning and succeeded in nothing other than slowing the Dark Hunters down. When it became clear that the battle was lost, Nephthys retreated with her people and was one of the small number who managed to escape, the rest put into slavery by the Hunters. With no home Nephthys and her people sailed to Stelt with the intent of purchasing a more seaworthy vessel. However they soon found Stelt to be even worse than the rumors suggested and lost two of their number to a group of thieves who attacked them one night. The group stayed in one of the less corrupt taverns for two nights, always careful to avoid trouble, before they found someone who was willing to sell them a ship. By selling their old boat and most of the possessions they had managed to take with them, the Matoran managed to raise enough money to buy the boat and left the island the following day, much to Nphethys' relief. Originally they had planned to travel to Metru Nui, in the hopes of being reunited with those who had left their island several weeks earlier. But from what they'd learnt on Stelt, Metru Nui was already over populated and struggling to maintain itself, so instead they decided to travel to the Northern Continent. Nephthys and the others soon arrived on the Continent's north-east coast, but were confronted once more by the Dark Hunters. Outnumbered and surrounded, the Matoran had no choice but to surrender. To Nephthys it seemed as if their entire journey so far had all been for nothing. They were taken to a makeshift Dark Hunter base roughly a Kio from the shore and imprisoned with the other beings who had been captured by the Dark Hunters. The group spent a further four days in the camp, several of the Matoran being questioned during this time and Nephthys tending to them afterwards as best she could, before an attack on the camp by a group of Toa led to their escape. Nephthys and the others from her village, along with the other prisoners, were taken back to a camp belonging to the newly formed of the Great Spirit's Army. After being tended to and questioned about where they had come from and anything they had learnt within the Dark Hunter's camp, they were relocated to a Le-Matoran village. Although at first afraid of living in a village suspended from the treetops, Nephthys soon learnt to accept it and found the un-dwindling energy of the Le-Matoran funny, if a bit annoying. She spent two weeks in the village, eating her first proper meals since the Dark Hunters invaded her island and sleeping without fear for the first time in weeks. She also befriended many of the villagers and found herself to be happy for the first time since the war had begun. However, when the Great Spirit's Army learnt that she had a knowledge of medicines (even if her knowledge was fairly limited), they asked her to come and work in one of the already overworked field hospitals on the western border of the GSA's territory on the continent, three kio from the village. During this time Nephthys worked as an assistant to the more experienced healers, who ranged in species from Matoran to large, four armed beings and even a Vortixx. After a year of aiding those injured in the fighting, and seeing more than her fair share of pain, Nephthys was working as a proper healer, as oppose to just helping others. As the war increased in brutality, Nephthys' work became more and more hectic, and she had little time to rest or to see her friends. After another month in the hospital, Makuta forces managed to break through the ranks of the Great Spirit's Army and attacked their camp, along with the hospital. Nephthys tried to stay and help in the evacuation of the patients, but the Brotherhood's forces were too numerous and powerful, and Nephthys was ordered to leave and warn the nearby villages. Fearing for her friends, Nephthys ran as fast as she could back to the Le-Matoran village, only to find that it had already been attacked. She frantically searched the burning wrecks of fallen huts for survivors, but could find nothing but bodies. In her grief she forgot that Makuta forces could still be nearby and was captured by a group of Rahkshi only a few minutes later. Captivity Nephthys was taken back to a Brotherhood fortress on the south-west tip of the island, where she nearly died during questioning, as the Makuta could not simply probe her mind due to her being a Ce-Matoran. She was then transported to a small research facility on the Southern Continent, along with several other Matoran. There they were placed into captivity and experimented upon by Makuta Mutran. Many were turned into hideous mutations, but Nephthys and a few others were kept for the testing of Mutran's latest weapon: the Shadow Leech. Nephthys was the last to be transformed, and as part of a further experiment she was then transformed into a Toa, losing any trace of the colors of her former element in the process. It was at about this time that she took to wearing a strip of fabric over her right leg, though it is unclear as to why. With her moral light gone, Nephthys became a warrior within the Brotherhood's ranks, and began terrorizing the Matoran of the Southern Continent. At this time she wore a black and silver Avsa which allowed her to drain her victims of their strength, positive emotions or moral light, making herself stronger in doing so. Although this ability could be activated from a distance, when she could she would drain her victims through physical contact, often biting them with the fangs of her mask. Nephthys became known throughout the universe as a heartless killer and continued as a Brotherhood servant for several years, up until around the time of the Great Cataclysm. Release from Darkness On one particular mission to attack a Dark Hunter camp, with the aim of killing the Dark Hunter in charge, Nephthys was confronted by a lone Klakk. When she attempted to kill the Rahi, it attacked her with its sonic scream, breaking the psychological barrier that had been preventing her moral light from returning. However, when her moral light was restored Nephthys did not regain her element of Psionics, instead remaining a Toa of Shadow. It is unknown why this was the case. Confused and unsure of what to do next, Nephthys simply picked a direction and ran. At some point she came across a small Matoran settlement and swapped her Avsa for a Kakama, the only Great Mask available. She eventually found herself nearing a section of the continent controlled by the Great Spirit's Army, and walked straight into one of their camps, expecting protection. However, the Toa in the camp believed her to still be a Brotherhood servant and attacked her. Before she could even realise what was happening, the Toa had surrounded her and she was forced to surrender. Nephthys was taken to a cell and her mask and weapons were taken from her, to prevent her escape. Several hours later she was taken elsewhere in the camp and interrogated, something which she was more than used to by now. She told them all she could recall, but it was still not enough to convince them that she was free of the Makuta's control and her Shadow abilities only convinced them further of her allegiances. Realizing that they would not believe her, Nephthys began formulating a plan to escape. Several days later, a Toa came to her cell to take her to a Vahki Transport, which would then take her to Metru Nui where she would be imprisoned and questioned further. Not wishing to be punished for actions she had no control over, Nephthys managed to gain just enough control over her element to darken the cells slightly, making it harder for the Toa (who had just come from the bright light outside) to see. Using the dark color of her armor to her advantage, Nephthys hid in the far corner of her cell, waiting for her escort to come in. As he approached she lashed out at him, managing to grab his Kanohi before he could work out what was happening. Nephthys placed the mask on her face, feeling her strength returning to her and proceeded to knock the Toa unconscious. Taking his set of keys, Nephthys locked the cell and managed to sneak outside unnoticed, using her knew found Volitak to help her. After a quick search through some of the emptier parts of the camp, Nephthys had retrieved her gauntlets and found some supplies that would keep her going for a few days. Not wanting to risk discovery any longer, nor sure of how long she could keep her mask active, Nephthys managed to escape the camp. Knowing now that no Toa nor Matoran would accept her for what she was, Nephthys began travelling the universe, sticking to the shadows and only travelling at night: stealing what she needed from the villages she came across because she knew she could not obtain it otherwise. She lived on the run from every side in the war and lost track of what was right, what was wrong, who was good, who was bad. She considered settling down on Stelt, as much as she disliked the island it was a place where someone like her could find safety. But she knew that she was most likely being hunted by both the Makuta and the Great Spirit's Army, settling down would be a dangerous thing to do and there were probably many Steltians who would trade her in for whatever sum of widgets was the reward. So she continued to travel, striking out at the Brotherhood when she could and helping those who would accept her help. Abilities and traits Nephthys as a Matoran was always kind and generous, as well as knowledgeable, always putting others needs before her own. However, the events of her life have changed her greatly and althought those traits still remain within her, they are often buried by other, newer traits. Nephthys has seen the true horrors and evil of the universe and no longer believes there is a place for one like herself in the universe. She is willing to break the code and believes that not all of her moral light has returned to her. However, she still struggles against the darkness within her and tries to help others, she does not blame the Matoran for casting her out either. As a Ce-Matoran Nephthys had a natural immunity to mental attacks and still does as a Toa. As a Shadow Matoran she had the ability to control the element of Shadow, to a limited degree, and gained full control over her new element as a Toa. Mask and Tools Nephthys currently wears a Kanohi Volitak, Mask of Stealth. This mask allows her to become almost transparent and make no noise, however she still casts a shadow, but she can prevent this with her elemental powers. Nephthys uses a pair of Shadow Gauntlets as her weapons, which can channel her elemental powers as well as be used for melee combat. Each also has a small metal spike on its underside which can be used to inject poisons into her victims. While under the Makuta's control she used paralyzing and occasionally lethal poisons, but since the restoration of her moral light she has taken to using a drug which simply renders the target unconscious for a short period of time. Appearances *Shadows of the Past Trivia *Nephthys is MAZEKA's secondary self-MOC. *Her name is taken from that of the Egyptian God of night. She was originally planned to be named Nyx, the name of the Greek God of night, but that name was already taken. *Nephthys' constantly being hunted by the Makuta is partially based on the 'Runners' in Stargate Atlantis, who were people hunted across the galaxy for sport and often inadvertently caused the destruction of any village they visited. *See also: Nephthys/Gallery Category:Self-MOCs Category:Toa Category:Shadow Category:Toa of Shadow Category:Dark War Universe